Industry expert advice
My sister-in-law used to be in the education line. She told us which school was good and we just registered them there. All schools are good. It's all up to the children and parents and how they adapt to it. - Mathavie Nadaraja, mother of two boys aged 13 and 16

Recommendation from other parents
There are actually very limited choices because most of the kindergartens in the urban areas are very academic-centred. All they want to do is have one class after another. In fact I was very surprised to see that my daughter had a timetable and every half an hour there were different lessons – maths, English, Mandarin, Malay. It's like primary school with very little play time and singing time. This was not the kind of kindergarten that I wanted for my child. I chose that kindergarten because it was close by, secure and it was convenient. We took her out of that kindergarten after a while and put her in a new one which one of my neighbours recommended. It is more easy-going and not as academic-oriented. I think the best way to choose a school is by getting a recommendation from other parents. That's the best way. Just ask if they're happy with their child being there. If she was not happy at the second kindergarten, we would have moved her again. - Selvi Gopal, mother of a girl and a boy aged six and two

Role of tradition
My children are in Seremban with my in-laws so basically my in-laws had a lot of say in which school the children should go to. The school that my son goes to is the school that his uncles and even my husband had gone to. It is sort of a family tradition to go to that school. My daughters are in the best girls' school in Seremban, which used to be a convent school. I wanted my kids to maybe go to a vernacular school but my in-laws were adamant and in the end we agreed. Anyway, it's Seremban where there's not much of a choice. - Vanitha Nadaraj, mother of one boy and two girls aged nine to 12